The Biggest Question the Broncos Still Haven’t Answered After Free Agency

Two-plus weeks into free agency, the Denver Broncos still haven't answered one of the biggest questions surrounding this team entering the offseason. We knew that Denver loved J.K. Dobbins; GM George Paton said that he was "a big hit around here" at the NFL Combine.

Dobbins wanted to come back. He wants to be a "Bronco for life." Connecting the dots, the odds were strong that Denver was going to re-sign Dobbins.

Great though Dobbins is when healthy, he misses a lot of time due to injury. And last season, RJ Harvey proved that he's not quite capable yet of being the Broncos' lead running back. He averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in the seven games after Dobbins went down.

As a secondary guy and a versatile weapon to be moved around the formation and utilized in the red zone, Harvey is as good as it gets. But as a down-to-down grinder who can sustain an efficient ground attack? He's not there yet.

Meanwhile, the Broncos not only re-signed Dobbins, but also gave him a 4x raise (two years, $16 million), betting big that he'll stay healthy and available. The team might feel confident in rolling the dice on him with that $8 million fully guaranteed, but Denver would be remiss to fully count on Dobbins for the full 17 games.

The Question

Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (27) runs against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The question that hasn't been answered yet is this: What's Denver's plan for a first- and second-down complement/backup to Dobbins?

For now, if the Broncos had to go to war tomorrow, it would be Harvey. Again, though, if Denver had to rely on Harvey for an extended period because Dobbins was hurt, the down-to-down efficiency of the rushing offense would again plummet to untenable numbers. In three of the seven games Dobbins missed, Harvey averaged under 3.0 yards per carry, and even had a 1.9 YPC game in the season finale (15 carries).

Ideally, the Broncos need one more running back who can rotate in with Dobbins for some first and second-down action, leaving Harvey as the 'Joker' receiving threat out of the backfield on third down. There were some solid No. 2 options on the free-agent market early on, but they've all signed elsewhere.

In all likelihood, the Broncos will answer this question in the draft next month. Now, even though Denver doesn't have a first or third-round pick following the Jaylen Waddle trade, the team still has its second-rounder (No. 62 overall), two fourth-rounders, a sixth, and a trio of seventh-rounders.

A few names to monitor in the 2026 draft are Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr., Notre Dame's Jadarian Price, and Washington's Jonah Coleman. The Broncos have expressed interest in all three, and they would fit in perfectly with the missing role on offense and provide some long-term upside for life after Dobbins.

The Broncos re-signed Jaleel McLaughlin and tendered Tyler Badie, but both contracts are low-level deals, and a rookie draft pick could easily push one of them off the roster before Week 1 with minimal salary-cap impact.

That is, of course, assuming the Broncos see it the same way as I do. But if the best predictor of the future is the past, we can expect Dobbins to miss some time, so let's hope the Broncos see it that way.

If the Broncos want to hedge against that high, high probablity, and ensure that Bo Nix and the offense can remain efficient and productive on the ground absent Dobbins, they need to add another running back, whether it's through the draft or the free-agent ranks.

Someday, Harvey could develop into the three-down back the Broncos are hoping for, but he's not there yet, as evidenced by his late-season performance sans Dobbins, and the team has to come to terms with that reality before it's too late.

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